Formulate a concise thesis sentence detailing your argument on the theme of love and violence in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Thesis: The theme of love and violence communicates the idea of two opposite forces being present together. William Shakespeare has given examples of this theme throughout the play Romeo and Juliet.

 

Body Paragraph #1 – Friar Lawrence advises that fast paced joys and actions lead to tragic endings.

 

Example 1: “These violent delights have violent ends.” – Friar Lawrence

Analysis:

  • Friar Lawrence states that passionate joys have violent endings.
  • Lord Capulet rushed to get Juliet married to Paris. (Juliet faked her death in front of him, but later killed herself.)

 

Example 2: “And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which, as they kiss, consume.” – Friar Lawrence

Analysis:

  • They die in their moment of triumph, just like a spark and gunpowder destroy themselves in an explosion once they touch.
  • The Friar states that extreme emotions often end in disaster.
  • The extreme emotions Romeo and Juliet had for each other caused their death.
  • Romeo and Juliet rush to get married. (Their extreme emotions/passion for each other caused their death.)

 

Body Paragraph #2 – Romeo and Juliet kill themselves, as they believe they cannot continue to live without each other.

 

Example 1: “Star-crossed lovers take their life.” – Prologue

Analysis:

  • This dialogue in the prologue mentions lovers and death, which also means love and violence.
  • There is love between two people, but violence occurs in the form of suicide.

 

Example 2: “O true apothecary, Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” – Romeo Montague

Analysis:

  • Romeo kills himself after believing that Juliet has passed away.
  • He kills himself after believing that his love has left him alone on earth.

 

Example 3: “O happy dagger, This is thy sheath. There rust and let me die.” – Juliet Capulet

Analysis:

  • After waking up from her sleeping potion, Juliet sees Romeo’s lifeless body and proceeds to end her life.
  • Juliet also takes her life after seeing Romeo, her lover and husband, dead.

 

Body Paragraph #3 – The violent feud between the Montague and Capulet families end by the death of Romeo and Juliet.

 

Example 1: “For I will raise her statue in pure gold, That whiles Verona by that name is known, There shall no figure at such rate be set As that of true and faithful Juliet.” – Lord Montague

Analysis:

  • Through the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, Lord Montague decides to honour Juliet with a gold statue.
  • She remained faithful to her first love Romeo, by choosing to fake her death.

 

Example 2: “As rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s lie, Poor sacrifices of our enmity.” – Lord Capulet

Analysis:

  • Lord Capulet states that he will make a gold statue for Romeo.
  • Lord Capulet states that the hate between their families is not worth their children’s love sacrifice.

 

Conclusion: Therefore, love and violence are a theme present throughout Romeo and Juliet. The opposing forces are present together in many scenes.